CITY OF PARRAMATTA Early Childhood Education & Care ......232 City of ParramattaCity of Parramatta...

230 City of Parramatta

CITY OF PARRAMATTA

Early Childhood Education & Care Network




When affordable, quality childcare is available to families, parents and children benefit. If we provide the right developmental supports to children in their early years, we can expect children to thrive in school and throughout their lives.

Society as a whole also benefits. Research shows that with access to quality care and education, parents and their children are more productive and earn more, which boosts the economy.

Investing in children’s early years leads to increased social mobility, improved lifetime wages, improved university graduation rates, reduced income inequality and improved health and wellbeing.

Early childhood is a vital stage of development

Defining our Early Childhood Education & Care servicesThe following Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) services are included in this analysis. These services are considered formal child care (that is regulated care) away from the child’s home.

Long day care (LDC) are centre-based education and care services providing full-time or part-time care for children during working hours. Long day care primarily provides services for children aged 0-6 years.

Early childhood programs are provided by a qualified educator.

Preschool includes services that deliver early childhood education programs provided by a qualified educator that are aimed at children in the year or two prior to commencing school, although there are different starting ages across jurisdictions.

Out of school hours care (OSHC) are services that provide care for school children aged up to 12 years old before school, after school, during school holidays and on pupil free days. OSHC may use stand-alone facilities, share school buildings and grounds or share facilities such as community halls.

Community Infrastructure Strategy 2019 231

232 City of Parramatta232 City of Parramatta

City of Parramatta Council (Council) currently plays a small but important role in provision of early childhood education and care (ECEC) services. Council owns and manages 5 long day care services that have the capacity for 219 places.

The wait list for these services is over 1,200. Council also owns 6 community buildings that are leased to not for profit long day care or preschool services, providing a total of 235 places along with OSHC catering for 60 places.

ECEC services in City of Parramatta are also provided through the not-for-profit sector and the private market. There are approximately:

• 116 long day care services• 5,500 places

• 21 preschools• 645 places

• 52 OSHC• 4,100 places.

ECEC NETWORK

Current Situation

KEY: Council owned and operated Council owned & other agency operated Other agency owned & operated

Long Day Care

Preschool OSHC


105 21 51

165

What is provided

now?



2018 City of Parramatta ECEC Network

Council’s ECEC network:

City of Parramatta Council has a critical role to play as a provider of ECEC services.

• Addresses service gaps and market failure, particularly in relation to places for 0-2 year olds and children with additional needs.

• Demonstrates best practice and service excellence, for other services to learn from and follow.

• Supports vulnerable children and families, and children with special needs, to develop, build resilience and thrive.

Jubilee Park Early LeaningCentre

Ermington Possum Patch Early Learning Centre

DundasEarly Learning Centre

North Rocks Child Care Centre

Northmead Early Learning Centre

Catchment 1

Catchment 4

Catchment 2

Catchment 3

Catchment 5

Catchment 6



Council’s Early Childhood Education and Care Network


CATCHMENT 1

Facility Name Size & Type

Capacity & Age Range Strengths Weaknesses


Arthur Phillip Park 2A Redbank Road, Northmead 2124

Approx. 600m2

Long Day Care

• 45 places

• 0 to 6 years

• Amenity and setting

• Building condition

• Funding allocated for upgrades

• Access to frequent public transport

• Car park access

• At capacity

CATCHMENT 4



Jubilee Park Early Learning Centre

Jubilee Lane (off Marion St), Harris Park 2150

Approx. 450m2

Long Day Care

• 42 places

• 0 to 6 years

• Access to frequent public transport

• Close to Parramatta CBD

• Amenity and park setting

• Outdoor play area

• At capacity with a significant waiting list

• Playground needs an upgrade

• Limited pram storage

CATCHMENT 2




Cnr Farnell Ave & Balaka Drive, Carlingford, 2118

Approx. 600m2

Long Day Care

• 53 places

• 0 to 6 years

• Amenity and park setting

• Large carpark

• Play space recently upgraded

• At capacity with a significant waiting list

• Internal configuration

• Structural issues

• Lack of storage

CATCHMENT 5



Ermington Possum Patch Early Learning Centre

12 Bartlett Street, Ermington 2115

Approx. 400m2

Long Day Care

• 40 places

• 0 to 6 years

• Amenity and setting

• Connection with primary school

• Recent upgrade

• Access to public transport

• At capacity with a waiting list

• Playground needs upgrading

• Car park location (rear of building)

• Limited public transport

Dundas Early Learning Centre

79 Calder Close, Rydalmere 2116

Approx 500m2

Long Day Care

• 39 places

• 0 to 6 years

• Recently renewed facility and playground

• Smaller centre

• Significant waiting list

• Poor public transport

• Car park access



In addition to Council owned and operated services, Council has seven community buildings that are leased to not for profit or private for profit childcare providers that operate long day care, OSHC and preschool services

CATCHMENT 1

Service Type Leased By Capacity & Age Range

KU Wentworthville Preschool

26 Water Street, Wentworthville

Preschool • KU Children’s Servicess • 25 places per day

• 4 to 5 years

CATCHMENT 2


Carlingford West Kindergarten

Cnr Llyods Avenue and Boundary Street, Carlingford

Preschool • Carlingford West Kindergarten Inc.

• 24 places per day

• 3 to 5 years

North Rocks Preschool

358z North Rocks Road, Carlingford

Preschool • North Rocks Pre-School • 56 places per day

• 3 to 5 years

North Rocks After School Activity Centre Inc.

North Rocks Road, Carlingford

Out of Hours School Care

• Not-for-Profit Community Based Centre


CATCHMENT 3


West Epping Preschool

15 Ward Street, Epping

Preschool • West Epping Pre-School • 40 places per day

• 3 to 5 years

KU Isobel Pulsford Preschool

46-48 Bridge Street, Epping

Preschool • KU Children’s Services • 30 places per day

• 3 to 5 years

Mindchamps Early Learning @ Eastwood

679 Blaxland Road, Eastwood

Long Day Care • Mindchamps Early Learning


• 6 weeks to 5 years


4,1005,3305,500

9,291

Provision required based on benchmark for 2016 resident and

worker population

Total places 2016

(+3,791)

(+1,230)

Demand for ECEC is calculated based on the number of young children living in an area, the percentage of children using early education and care, and the number of days that children attend care.

A study commissioned by Council calculates this at:

• 1 LDC place for every 2.48 children aged 0 – 4 years

• 1 OSHC place for every 2.70 children aged 5 – 11 years

Some methodologies also factor in numbers of workers in an area, for which an accepted industry rate is 1 LDC place per 75 workers.

For more information on the application of benchmarks and their strengths, weaknesses and considerations, refer to the ‘Table of Benchmarks’ pp. 58-59

Rates of ProvisonCity of Parramatta: 2016 LDC and OSHC provision against benchmark

Childcare benchmarks

The current provision of early childhood education and care LDC and OSHC services available to the general public in City of Parramatta does not meet demand. In 2016, there were 17,670 children aged 0 – 4 years and 16,400 children aged 5 – 11 years. There were 162,360 workers in City of Parramatta in 2016.

Benchmarking indicates that at least 9,290 LDC places and 5,330 OSHC places are required to meet the needs of City of Parramatta’s current resident and worker population.

Analysis shows that there is very limited access to long day care for communities living in Catchment 2 (Carlingford, North Rocks, Dundas, Dundas Valley & Telopea) and Catchment 6 (Sydney Olympic Park, Wentworth Point, Lidcombe/Carter Street, Silverwater and Newington) and for OSHC in Catchment 1 (Winston Hills, Toongabbie, Westmead, Northmead, Old Toongabbie, Pendle Hill, Wentworthville & Constitution Hill).

KEY: LDC places OSHC places


*Benchmark based on Elton's 'Parramatta Community Facilities Audit and Needs Study Report 2017' commissioned by City of Parramatta



City of Parramatta by Catchment: 2016 gap in provision of LDC and OSHC Places

458

270

-257

208 220330

119

827

-258

363

106

468


Catchment One

Catchment Two

Catchment Four

Catchment Three

Catchment Six

Catchment Five

Quality of ECEC Services

The quality of a building used for ECEC services and the programs that are run from them significantly influences the learning outcomes and wellbeing of the children attending.

In Australia, there is a National Quality Standard (NQS) that sets a high national benchmark for education and care services.

ECECs are rated against 7 areas that represent important outcomes for children and are given an overall rating that identifies their quality. The highest rating that can be achieved is ‘Excellent’, followed by ‘Exceeding’, ‘Meeting’, ‘Working Towards’ and finally ‘Significant improvement required’.

In City of Parramatta LGA, just under a quarter of all LDC services are rated as “Exceeding” the NQS, delivering a high quality service. 44% are “Meeting” the NQS while a third of LDC services in the City are rated as “Working Towards” the NQS, delivering a lower quality service. Beecroft, North Parramatta, Parramatta, Rosehill, Wentworthville, Westmead, and Winston Hills all have high proportions of lower quality long day care services.

2017 National Quality Standard Ratings: City of Parramatta Services compared to City of Parramatta Council Services



KEY: Moving Towards Meeting Exceeding

National Quality Standard rating for Council owned & operated

ECEC services

22%

44% 60%

33% 40%

National Quality Standard rating for ECEC Services in City of Parramatta

How well positioned is our current ECEC Network?There is a shortfall in the number of places provided to meet the needs of the current population of residents and workers. This shortfall will be exacerbated by forecast growth, particularly in the high growth areas.

Council-owned and operated long day care centres are highly valued services, evidenced by ratings of “Exceeding” the National Quality Standards, high customer satisfaction ratings and very long wait lists. They are viewed as trusted services within our community and providers of quality learning opportunities for children.

Outside of Council-owned and operated ECEC services, Council recognise that many of the not-for-profit and private providers operating LDC across the LGA are high quality services rated as ‘Meeting’ or ‘Exceeding’ the National Quality standards.

However, we also know that one-third of services in the LGA are not meeting the National Quality Standards.



The strengths of our Early Childhood Education & Care Services include:• Council provides quality care throughout the

LGA, including access to care for vulnerable families and children.

• Many of Council’s services are located close to public transport and provide good amenity.

Despite some strengths, the network of buildings that form Council’s Early Childhood Education & Care Services has weaknesses:• Some of Council’s buildings need upgrades to

improve their capacity, accessibility and quality.

• There is a shortfall in the number of places provided to meet the needs of the current population of residents and workers, and this will be exacerbated by forecast growth, particularly in the high growth areas.



In City of Parramatta in 2018, there are:

Facts at a Glance

116Long Day Care

Centres

5Council owned &

operated Long Day Care Centres

52OSHC

Services

33%of all services

rated as ‘working towards’

standards

7Council buildings

leased for Long Day Care/Preschools/

OSHC

21Preschools

22%of all services rated

as ‘exceeding’ standards

Jubilee Park Early Learning Centre

CASE

STUDY

The Centre offers quality care and learning experiences through a variety of educational programs. Daily programs are provided to develop children’s strengths, interests and needs and to respect their cultural backgrounds. There is currently a wait list of 412 children.



The Jubilee Park Early Learning Centre is a Council owned and operated long day care centre, located on Jubilee Lane in Harris Park. This centre provides 42 long day care places for children between the ages of 6 weeks to 6 years old.

City of Parramatta is undergoing transformational change which will have a significant impact on the future of our ECEC network.


In a time of great change in how we live and work, as well as rapid population growth, service providers face the challenge of how to best provide quality early childhood education and care in accessible locations that meet the needs of an increasingly diverse community.

Council considers the following issues as critical to the future of our ECEC network:

National quality standard.

The National Quality Standard (NQS) sets a high national benchmark for early childhood education and care and outside school hours care services in Australia. The NQS includes 7 quality areas that are important outcomes for children, for example educational program and practice, health and safety and the physical environment. Services are assessed and rated by their regulatory authority against the NQS, and given a rating by category and overall. Parents and carers are increasingly savvy and seek out high quality services as their preference. High quality services value the environment as a ‘third teacher’, are safe for children, involve children in decision making, have good relationships with children, families and the community and well-trained staff.

Care in high density neighbourhoods.

Early childhood education and care facilities are being developed in high density commercial and residential buildings. This trend meets the needs of workers and residents who require childcare in the Parramatta CBD and surrounding neighbourhoods. High-density urban environments, by their nature, often require different forms of childcare infrastructure. The quality of physical childcare environments in high density office or residential towers can vary greatly. Issues can arise regarding access to outdoor play space and the programming and safety implications of splitting of a service across different levels of a building.


Emerging TrendsWhat

does future best practice

look like?


It can be challenging to ensure that all who are involved in childcare design, development and delivery understand and value the importance of quality physical environments to support early learning and development – regardless of whether a childcare service is located in an office tower or in a separate single storey dwelling.

Flexible hours of care.

The nature of work and the hours people work is changing. There is an increasing expectation and need from families for childcare outside of normal office hours. While there has been development in Services that provide care for longer hours, casual hours and 24 hour care, this is not widespread. Services will increasingly need to consider options for flexible childcare service provision.

Co-located facilities.

Co-located centres or community hubs are increasingly being developed to meet the needs of diverse communities, with a range of services for all ages provided at a single location.

Co-locating early childhood education and care with infrastructure such as OSHC, libraries and community centres provides suitable spaces to deliver services, programs and activities to meet the social needs of the community and build community capacity. It can also increase the convenience and attractiveness of accessing other complementary community and social programs and activities. Further, for operators such as Councils it builds efficiencies.

Community expectations about early learning.

Community expectations of formal care are changing and learning programs and school readiness will be a priority for services. Expectations are for higher quality facilities with spaces that promote learning and development outcomes.





Vulnerable families.

With an increased focus and recognition of the value of inclusion within society, there will be a continued need for facilities that cater for vulnerable children and children with additional needs. Often there is additional funds available to assist with this. The staff requirements to support these children are usually higher and as a result the private market does not tend to meet this need. Not-for-profit and Council run facilities are well known for their role in supporting vulnerable children and their families. continuing these service types is critical to ensure that all children within our community can grow, learn and be included.

Hybrid models.

The changes occurring in childcare regulation related to service space and size will likely lead to different forms of early childhood education and care facilities such as hybrid centres with co-located services. These facilities could for example be a mixture of Long Day Care and OSHC to meet the needs of families who have children of different ages. These facilities require indoor and outdoor areas which will encourage learning and development for all ages.

Larger services.

Up until 2012 the largest permitted long day care centre in NSW was 90 places, with 30 places for babies under 2 years old, but this is no longer the case. Larger centres are being developed. Most experts agree that for the best outcomes for children and families services should be no more than 90 places and preferably smaller. Currently the largest long day care service operated by Council is 53 places. Increasingly the tension between generating greater supply of childcare places, and generating childcare services that promote quality learning outcomes, will need to be managed.

Emergence of out of school hours care.

There is ever increasing demand for out of school hours care by families. Any new public school is designed in such a way as to support the operation of an out of school hours care service, through space provision usually by way of designing a flexible school hall or teaching rooms that can be adapted for OSHC use, not by supplying specific space for an OSHC service. Recently we have seen the emergence of more private OSHC services that operate close by, but off site, to a school, picking up children from school and transporting them to the service. Council has noticed increased enquires from potential private providers regarding access to community facilities that would be appropriate to support an OSHC service.

The Infant’s Home, Ashfield

CASE

STUDY

The Infant’s Home is an integrated service recognised as delivering international best practice child care along with other children's services.

It integrates early childhood education and care, early intervention and health services for children and families and has been operating for 142 years. The service is located in a medium density residential area, and provides long day care services in addition to family day care, an allied health clinic, a GP clinic, an art and play program, playgroups, parenting groups and workshops, and family support programs.

30% of places are targeted for families facing challenging circumstances - for instance, families where there is domestic violence, substance misuse, mental health, homelessness or living in a refuge, young mothers, a family member with a disability, social isolation, or refugee, Aboriginal, and culturally and linguistically diverse families.

The services provided by the Infant’s Home are accessed by over 2,600 children (from birth to school age) and their families from 120 Sydney suburbs each year. Since the service’s inception in 1874, it has supported more than 180,000 children and families

*(This information and image sourced from ‘Best Practice Childcare Review’, Cred Consulting (2017) and http://www.theinfantshome.org.au/)

Image credit: Infants Home





Current provision of early childhood education and care, Long Day Care and OSHC services in City of Parramatta does not meet demand.

City of Parramatta’s future population is estimated to grow to almost 466,000 people by 2036, made up of 30,023 0 to 4 year olds and 33,981 5 to 11 year olds.

The worker population is expected to reach 208,573 at 2036.

Based on population benchmarking, this would justify:

• 14,887 long day care places, 2,781 for children of workers and 12,106 for residents aged 0 to 4 years.

• 12,586 OSHC Places for residents aged 5 to 11 years.

Further analysis of 2036 long day care provision against benchmarks by catchment shows more places are needed in each catchment, with significantly more places required in catchments 2, 4, & 6.

A similar analysis for OSHC places shows demand in every catchment, especially Catchments 1, 4, 5 & 6.

Benchmark Analysis

City of Parramatta: 2036 LDC and OSHC provision against benchmark

ECEC NETWORK

Future Needs


4,100

12,586

5,500

14,887

Provision based on benchmark for 2036 population

Actual 2016

(+9,387)

(+8,486)


What are the gaps and

challenges we face?



City of Parramatta by Catchment: 2036 gap in provision of Long Day Care and OSHC Places

1,3181,560

238

2,592

1,615

1,103

239

1,271

-82

2,524

1,1701,485

KEY: Long Day Care places OSHC places

Catchment One

Catchment Two

Catchment Four

Catchment Three

Catchment Six

Catchment Five



City of Parramatta by Suburb: 2036 Benchmark analysis of demand for Long Day Care places

Suburb 2017 current supply (estimate)

2036 demand (based on

benchmark)2036 gap*

Beecroft 209 60 -149

Camellia 0 452 452

Carlingford 293 798 505

Constitution Hill 40 116 76

Dundas 57 133 76

Dundas Valley 38 154 116

Eastwood 346 112 -234

Epping 440 740 300

Ermington - Melrose Park 300 1,356 1,056

Granville - Clyde 126 619 493

Harris Park 117 188 71

Newington 0 156 156

North Parramatta 321 550 229

North Rocks 73 253 180

Northmead 155 419 264

Oatlands 98 112 14

Old Toongabbie 87 66 -21

Parramatta 802 2,150 1,348

Rosehill 242 158 -84

Rydalmere 160 273 113

Silverwater 0 81 81

Sydney Olympic Park 130 833 703

Telopea 39 434 395

Toongabbie 312 228 -84

Wentworth Point 0 544 544

Wentworthville - Pendle Hill 503 164 -339

Westmead 193 574 381

Winston Hills 419 382 -37

*A negative number indicates a forecast oversupply



City of Parramatta by Suburb: 2036 Benchmark analysis of demand for Out of School Hours Care places.

Suburb 2017 current supply (estimate)

2036 demand (based on

benchmark)2036 gap*

Beecroft 215 112 -103

Camellia 0 179 179

Carlingford 484 1,302 818

Constitution Hill 0 160 160

Dundas 75 183 108

Dundas Valley 100 209 109

Eastwood 225 126 -99

Epping 510 951 441

Ermington - Melrose Park 100 1,525 1,425

Granville - Clyde 0 487 487

Harris Park 65 167 102

Newington 25 144 119

North Parramatta 340 527 187

North Rocks 329 361 32

Northmead 160 479 314

Oatlands 45 214 169

Old Toongabbie 0 103 103

Parramatta 372 1,849 1,477

Rosehill 150 141 -9

Rydalmere 120 310 190

Silverwater 0 94 94

Sydney Olympic Park 0 486 486

Telopea 0 494 494

Toongabbie 190 281 91

Wentworth Point 0 403 403

Wentworthville - Pendle Hill 165 204 39

Westmead 180 527 347

Winston Hills 250 514 264

*A negative number indicates a forecast oversupply



What Our Community Has Told Us…

This period of engagement allowed Council to better understand the needs and expectations of our community and we were able to use this information to strengthen the draft Strategy.

Through this consultation process, we heard that:

Our community values:

• The significant role that ECEC facilities play in our community as a trusted and valued resource.

• The importance of considering social and developmental needs of children, especially for those growing up in urban environments.

• Council-operated ECEC facilities are highly valued because of their more manageable fees and the view that Council facilities provide a high quality of service.

Our community would like to see:

• More ECEC facilities throughout the LGA.

• ECEC facilities that are located in the suburbs and neigbourhood settings close by to parks, to deliver access to natural open space for children.

• ECEC facilities that are best-practice.

• More OSHC services to be located close to Council run childcare facilities to assist working families who are caring for children of different ages.

Between August – October 2017, the draft Community Infrastructure Strategy was on public exhibition

“…ECEC’s are a good connector for services and supports for our families.”

- Resident, public submission

“…Council’s ECEC facilities provide a service and education that day cares simply don’t”

- Resident, public submission

East Sydney Early Learning CentreThe East Sydney Early Learning Centre is the result of a partnership between City of Sydney and Goodstart Early Learning.

This centre demonstrates good practice in the provision of high quality child care in high density areas, making the best use of the available land.

The centre is an adaptive re-use of a 1920s warehouse, with an outdoor play area as well as indoor simulated outdoor space. While simulated outdoor space should be avoided where possible, this centre demonstrates high quality outcomes with natural light and ventilation. Mature trees were maintained in the outdoor space.

The centre provides 60 childcare places with five age-based playrooms across three levels. The centre also includes a safe haven for evacuation which means that educators and children can group before evacuation from the top floor of the three storey building.

Priority access is provided for children with additional needs, children from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander backgrounds and children who speak a language at home other than English.

*Information and image sourced from ‘Best Practice Childcare Review’, Cred Consulting (2017) https://www.goodstart.org.au/Centres/East-Sydney#tab

Image credit: The Good Start



CASE

STUDY



Strategic Challenges We Face TogetherAs the resident and worker population of City of Parramatta continues to grow, the early childhood education and care network will also need to grow, with new Council services as well as high quality private and not-for-profit services available to meet the increasing demand.

Council can provide services that fill market gaps, demonstrate quality, and provide access for vulnerable families. There is also a role for Council in advocating for increased provision of quality private and not-for-profit services, in the right places to meet the community’s needs.

We will need to plan and use our resources to find solutions to the following critical strategic challenges:

Q. How can we expand the early childhood education

and care network in City of Parramatta to meet the needs of a larger residential population in 2036, as well as demand generated from the many workers who will be employed in the LGA?

Q.How can we encourage services that deliver

high-quality care, and address the unique needs of local communities in terms of cultural diversity, socio-economics, vulnerable families and operating hours?

Q.How can we support the provision of early

childhood education and care places for 0 to 2 year olds and for vulnerable children and their families, which are costlier and therefore not always adequately provided by the private market?

Q.How do we encourage high quality early

education and care in urban renewal and high growth areas, in particular in high density buildings where access to ‘real’ open space can be more difficult to realise and procedures for evacuation and safety are very different to procedures for stand alone services?

Lady Gowrie Child Centre Docklands, Melbourne

The Lady Gowrie Child Centre service is located in Docklands, Melbourne and provides services to 150 children between the ages of birth to 6 years old.

The Centre is renowned for the fact it is built in a high density area above a shopping centre but has a fully landscaped external garden with mature trees. It has been rated as “Excellent” as per the National Quality Standards and meets international best practice provision standards of 3,500m2.

The centre is a role model for outdoor play provision in inner city areas. It provides real outdoor play space (not simulated outdoor space) with real trees, gardens and dirt on top of a supermarket.

The outdoor area is enclosed, so equipment does not have to be packed into sheds. Children can access whatever resources they want, when they want it, and ongoing play and experimentation by the children can be maintained. The service operation at this facility is high quality and child centred.

The Centre achieved their “Excellent” rating in part because of relationships the Centre has made with organisations in their local community that help children to learn in a number of innovative settings. Their ‘community connections excursion program’ supports educators to organise many excursions throughout Docklands and the CBD. Easy access via the lifts means that the centre is connected to the community and accessible to all.

*Information and image sourced from ‘Best Practice Childcare Review’, Cred Consulting (2017) and https://www.williamsboag.com.au/docklands-early-learning (Photography: Andrew Lloyd)

Image credit: William Boag Architects Lady Gowrie

CASE

STUDYLong Day Care



254 City of Parramatta254 City of Parramatta


ECEC NETWORK

Future Directions



Strategic DirectionsTo meet the needs of City of Parramatta’s growing and increasingly diverse community, Council will seek to facilitate adequate ECEC facilities in the right locations in each catchment area to enable access to quality services and programming.

It is appropriate for Council to take the following roles in regard to provision of ECEC services in City of Parramatta:

Direct Service Provider

• Long Day Care – Where there is an identified need, or risk of limited or no services to support vulnerable families and children with additional needs, or in locations where places for 0-2 year olds are determined to be lacking

• Out of School Hours Care – Where there is identified unmet need and where a business case supports a financially viable position

Advocate for quality services

• Council will seek to advocate and facilitate more quality early childhood education and care services in the City of Parramatta to reach a target of 15,200 Long Day Care places and 8,100 OSHC places in the next 20 years.

City of Parramatta Council will focus on the following strategic directions:

Long Day Care

• Continue to operate current Council-owned and operated early childhood education and care, long day care centres, and seek to make a moderate expansion of between three and five new centres in major high growth areas.

• Seek to deliver any significantly upgraded or new Council owned long day care as part of a Children and Families or Community Services Hub.

• Negotiate with developers and government for the delivery of high quality long day care centres within high growth areas that are a mix of private and not-for-profit owned and operated.

Out of School Hours Care

• Advocate with the NSW Department of Education (DOE) for provision of adequate floor space for OSHC services to operate onsite in schools, especially for any new school or significant school site re-development in City of Parramatta.

• Negotiate with developers and government for the delivery of adequate floor space to support quality OSHC services within high growth areas.

• This includes investigation of the potential to deliver in the order of 5 Council run OSHC as part of any significantly upgraded or new Council owned long day care, or as part of any new Children and Families or Community Service Hub.

• Investigate the potential for a OSHC service where there is an identified unmet need and where a business case supports a financially viable position.



Through collaboration, partnerships and the resources of many, we seek to achieve the following targets for our community:

City of Parramatta Council ECEC Services:

City of Parramatta ECEC Network: 20 YEAR PROVISION TARGETS

City of Parramatta LGA ECEC Places:

9

14,887

5

12,586

5

5,500

0

4,100

Future supply based on population growth




Current supply

Current supply

Current supply

Current supply

LDC Services

LDC Places

OSHC Services

OSHC Places



Key RecommendationsCATCHMENT 1

Name / Suburb Recommendation


Arthur Phillip Park, 2A Redbank Road, Northmead 2124

Undertake minor upgrades to the playground, carpark and flooring

Westmead Advocate for delivery of LDC centres to provide at least 381 places by 2036 within Westmead (with additional places for workers), with a mix of private and not-for-profit owned and operated centres

CATCHMENT 2



Cnr Farnell Ave & Balaka Drive, Carlingford, 2118

Undertake a major upgrade of the external structure of the building and the internal layout of the facility.

Undertake upgrades to the playground, carpark and flooring

CATCHMENT 3


Telopea Deliver a new Council owned and managed long day care centre of approximately 60 to 80 places with capacity for 45 OSHC places, as part of a Children and Families Hub

Advocate for delivery of LDC centres within Telopea to provide at least 395 new places by 2036 (with additional places for workers) with a mix of private and not-for-profit owned and operated centres



CATCHMENT 4


Jubilee Park Child Care Centre

Jubilee Lane (off Marion St), Harris Park 2150

Develop a new Children and Families’ community hub on the site, and expand centre capacity to approximately 80 childcare places

Parramatta CBD Advocate for provision of OSHC on proposed new school sites in the CBD

Advocate for delivery of LDC centres to provide at least 1,457 new places by 2036 (with additional places for workers) that are a mix of private and not-for-profit owned and operated

North Parramatta Advocate for delivery of LDC centres to provide for at least 230 new places by 2036 (with additional places for workers) within and nearby North Parramatta, that are a mix of private and not-for-profit owned and operated

Camellia Through the Priority Precinct planning process with NSW Department of Planning and Environment (DPE), deliver a new Council owned and managed Child and Youth hub of approximately 5,000m2 (subject to further design consideration). Ideally, this hub would be co-located with the school and park and include:

• One 85 place LDC centre

• One large OSHC centre to support approximately 100 students (space can be integrated with, and an extension of the LDC centre)

Through the Priority Precinct planning process with NSW Department of Planning and Environment (DPE),

• Advocate for the delivery of LDC centres within Camellia that provide a quality service, are a mix of private and not-for-profit owned and operated, and can cater for 452 places by 2036, with additional places for workers

• Advocate for provision of an OSHC on the proposed school site

Catchment 1

Catchment 3

Catchment 4

Catchment 5

Catchment 2

Catchment 6



CATCHMENT 5


Ermington Possum Patch Child Care Centre

12 Bartlett Street, Ermington 2115

Undertake a moderate upgrade to the layout of the internal spaces to include a staff office / programing room

Undertake upgrades to the playground, fencing and internal flooring

Dundas Child Care Centre

79 Calder Close, Rydalmere 2116

Undertake minor upgrades including new flooring

Rydalmere, Ermington, Melrose Park Corridor

Deliver a new Council owned and operated LDC centre of approximately 60-80 places, ideally as part of a Community Hub or connected with school sites

Advocate for delivery of LDC centres to provide at least 1,169 new places by 2036 (with additional places for workers) within Rydalmere, Ermington and Melrose Park that are a mix of private and not-for-profit owned and operated



CATCHMENT 6


Carter Street Advocate for delivery of LDC centres to provide at least 160 new places by 2036 (with additional places for workers) within and nearby the site that are a mix of private and not-for-profit owned and operated

Through the precinct planning process with NSW Department of Planning and Environment (DPE), advocate for provision of an OSHC on the proposed school site

Sydney Olympic Park Continue to advocate and engage with Sydney Olympic Park Authority (SOPA) in planning and delivery of the proposed early childhood education and care facilities as part of Sydney Olympic Park Master Plan 2030, to meet community needs. The community will need OSHC services and at least 703 new LDC places by 2036, with additional places for workers

Wentworth Point Through ongoing planning processes, consider options for a Council-owned and managed LDC and OSHC service, ideally as part of a Child and Families’ Hub, within Wentworth Point

Advocate for delivery of LDC centres to provide at least 544 new places by 2036 (with additional places for workers) within and nearby the site that are a mix of private and not-for-profit owned and operated

Criteria to Guide Decision Making for New Early Childhood Education and Care Facilities

The following criteria complement and are to be used in conjunction with City of Parramatta’s stated principles for community infrastructure planning found on page 61-63.

Council will use them to guide decision making and discussion with stakeholders and partners about new early childhood education and care facility opportunities.


For all scenarios, will the additional Early Education and Care Facility:

Align with the strategic directions for the ECEC network?

Contribute to meeting residents’ and workers’ needs in the catchment areas?

Be financially viable and give consideration to ongoing staffing, operational and maintenance costs?

Be sustainable in design and operations, as demonstrated through a sustainability assessment and minimise environmental impact?

Allow for the provision of free flowing outdoor space and indoor space to allow for ease of access for children?

Be located within a community hub or town centre?

Be located within close proximity to regular public transport services?

Be located to ensure visibility within the site?

Be physically accessible and employ universal design principles?

Include staff meal rooms, office/programming rooms and accessible toilets?

Meet or exceed the National Quality Standard requirements for physical space for early education care services?

Not be located above the fifth floor of a high rise building, for fire safety reasons?

Unless unavoidable, not be located over two levels, especially in the case of services in high rise buildings?


This Community Infrastructure Strategy draws on the knowledge and experience of many staff from across Council who have a passion for enabling socially sustainable communities. Together with feedback from our community, and our key stakeholders, this document has been a shared effort.

For further information on City of Parramatta’s Early Childhood Education and Care Network, or Council’s key strategic directions, the following resources are available:

For More Information:



• “Sharing the Opportunities of Growth for All – Socially Sustainable Parramatta Framework”

• City of Parramatta Council’s Website: www.cityofparramatta.nsw.gov.au

• City of Parramatta Customer Contact Centre: 9806 5050

• For access to demographic data log onto: http://profile.id.com.au/parramatta

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